The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for stabilizing drinkware and more particularly to devices and methods for stabilizing a stemware to prevent tipping over.
Conventional stemware such as wine glasses, martini glasses, snifters, and other stemware includes a base or foot that rests against a table or other surface. A stem rises from the foot, and a bowl or container is positioned at the top of the stem. A beverage such as a water or wine is contained in the bowl, and a user drinks from an upper rim on the bowl. In many applications, the main volume of liquid is housed in the bowl at a position several inches above the foot.
Stemware is prone to tipping over in various conditions. For example, when a wine glass is set on an uneven surface or table, the glass may tip over. Also, wine glasses may tip over when inadvertently pushed or impacted at a location on the bowl above the stem. Additionally, when used outdoors, wine glasses may be tipped over when wind blows against the bowl. Wind has a tendency to blow over stemware glasses in outdoor settings. For this reason, users are reluctant to use glass stemware when drinking outdoors, as glass stemware may shatter or crack when tipped over. Tipping over of stemware due to wind also causes spillage of the contents of the bowl. This is undesirable, especially when drinking expensive or rare wine.
Others have attempted to overcome the problems of wine glasses breaking due to tipping over by providing wine glasses made of acrylic, plastic, metal, or other less fragile materials. However, such materials may detract from the experience of drinking wine. Connoisseurs of wine often prefer to drink wine only from proper glass or crystal wine glasses. Such users generally find it unacceptable to substitute glass or crystal wine glasses with other materials when drinking wine.
To overcome this problem, others have attempted to provide rigid fixtures or holders to secure wine glasses when used outdoors. Such devices allow users to continue to use glass or crystal wine glasses outdoors while providing a structure to prevent the wine glass from tipping over. However, such conventional devices are bulky and generally do not work well. Additionally, some conventional devices for stabilizing stemware are cumbersome and apply torque against the stem during use, potentially causing the stem to break.
What is needed then are improvements in devices and methods for stabilizing stemware to prevent tipping over.